Swamp cypress ‘Cascade Falls’

ABSTRACT

A Swamp Cypress tree named ‘Cascade Falls’ having weeping branches.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Taxodiumdistichum, Swamp Cypress, which has been given the varietal name‘Cascade Falls’.

I discovered the original tree of my new variety as a seedling growingin a cultivated area along the bank of a small man-made lake on myproperty in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand. My attention was drawn tothis new plant because of its distinct weeping characteristic that isunlike any other Swamp Cypress trees of which I am aware. Subsequently,at my direction, my original tree has been asexually propagated bygrafting onto Taxodium distichum understock. Branches of my new varietyweep downwardly from the graft, thereby confirming that this unique anddistinct characteristic of my new variety is firmly fixed. Theseobservations of the original tree and of asexually propagated progenyhave confirmed that my new variety represents a new and improved varietyof Swamp Cypress as particularly evidenced by a weeping growth habit.Asexual propagation of the new variety by grafting onto Taxodiumdistichum understock has been accomplished in New Plymouth, New Zealandand also in Boring, Oreg.

The accompanying photographs depict the color of the tree and foliage ofmy new variety as nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the samein a color illustration of this character. It should be noted thatcolors vary with growing conditions and time of year as well as withlighting conditions at the time the photographs are taken.

Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart, Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, United Kingdom, unless the context clearly indicatesthe color term is intended to have its ordinary dictionary meaning.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a tree of my new variety grafted onto Taxodiumdistichum understock.

FIG. 2 is a close up photograph of several branches from a tree of mynew variety.

My ‘Cascade Falls’ variety of Swamp Cypress tree has not been observedunder all growing conditions and, thus, variations may occur as a resultof different growing conditions.

My new variety of Swamp Cypress tree is characterized by its long, finependulous branches which weep toward the ground. As shown in FIG. 1,these branches curve outwardly from the trunk of the tree and then hangvertically downwardly. In FIG. 1, the graft is supported several feetabove the ground by the understock. The branches of the original tree ofmy new variety also extended downwardly toward the ground. Thus, my newvariety of Swamp Cypress tree has a unique growth habit making it highlydesirable for landscaping applications.

My new variety has short to medium internode lengths on the main stem.Grafted plants growing in a greenhouse environment in Boring, Oreg.,have been observed to have primary branch nodes about 1.25 cm to 3 cmapart on the main stem. Multiple branches often emerge from a singlenode. My new variety exhibits slow apical growth with the strongestgrowth occurring from lateral branches. For example, apical growth fromabout five to eight centimeters per year has been observed. Primarybranches have been observed to grow forty centimeters or more in asingle growing season. The bark of my new variety on two-year oldbranches has been observed to be somewhat flakey and of a brown color,like RHS 177B. This same color has been observed for the mature trunkbark. New growth branches are more red-brown in color like RHS 182Balthough when they first emerge, the branch tips are a yellow-green,like RHS 144A. These colors are believed to be like those of thespecies.

The tree of my variety has long, primary branches with long secondarybranches as well. The secondary branches are irregularly arranged andextend from varying positions from the primary branches. The primarybranches extend approximately horizontally on a grafted plant from thegrafted stem for the first 4 to 7 cm with the branch then curvingdownwardly. Thus, the branches exhibit a pendulous or weeping attitude.

The leaves are needle-like, flat and thin, and are arranged in a flatarray with the leaves being outspread in two rows from opposite sides oftwigs. The leaves alternate along the twigs. The twigs in general areradially arranged on branches. Some individual needles are spirallyarranged on new growth branches. The tree is deciduous.

The leaves of my new variety have been observed to have a dark greenupper surface like RHS 137A in the summer with the leaves turningred-brown in autumn. Lighter yellow-green coloration has been observedon young growth, like RHS 144A. The undersurface of the leaves in summerhave been observed to be like RHS 138A, although this varies with thetime of the year. The individual leaves have a length to about 3 cm witha very narrow width.

My variety has been asexually propagated by grafting onto Taxodiumdistichum understock.

The following botanical description in general concerns approximately16-month old plants observed growing in Boring, Oreg.

THE PLANT

Parentage: Chance Swamp Cypress seedling of unknown origin, growing in acultivated area in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand.

Tree shape: Original tree has mounted shape due to slow apical growth incombination with weeping branches. When grafted, the branches weepdownwardly from the grafted stem. Very weak apical growth with strongestgrowth occurring from lateral branches. Growth habit tends to beprostrate, unless staked or otherwise supported.

Bark: Flakey, brown colored bark, like RHS 177B when mature; red-brownlike RHS 182B when new; initially emerging with a yellow-green color,like RHS 144A.

Branches: Long primary branches and secondary branches. Primary brancheswhen the trees are staked typically measure about 90 to 125 cm (about 3to 4 feet) long for 16-month old trees growing in Boring, Oreg. In agrafted tree, the primary branches emerge generally hoziontally from themain stem for the first 4-7 cm. with the branches then curvingdownwardly. Branch arrangements irregular.

Leaves: Needles are 2 ranked, linear, typically about 10 to 20 mm long,and about 1.5 mm wide. Apex is sharply acute with a needle-like point.Base is acute, though slightly less acute than apex, and margin isentire. Needles are scale-like on the persistant shoots, spirallyarranged.

Leaf color: Upper leaf surface is dark green like RHS 137A in summer.Undersurface is a brown-green like RHS 138A in the summer. The needlesdie in the fall and turn a red-brown color before being shed.

Sexual characteristics: No flowers, pollen, cones, or seed have beenobserved on any plants of my new variety as of this time.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Swamp Cypress tree substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by its weeping branch habit of 